Sawyer released a sigh and turned around. “We decided on the levee design because it was more cost-effective. A controlled breach isn’t very hard to fix, if done correctly. It wasn’t until we were in the construction phase that I recognized the unintended consequences. Our scope was too narrow. We didn’t take into account that our system would push water into several of the smaller surrounding towns.” The haunted look on his face sent a chill down Paxton’s spine. “I think that’s exactly what happened to Gauthier.”
That chill turned even more frigid. “What do you mean?”
“I think the flood-protection system that was constructed around New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina may have contributed to how the topography in Gauthier has changed. Because of the way the water is being diverted, it’s channeling waters at a more rapid pace and cutting grooves into the landscape where it wasn’t cut before.”
“Even though Landreaux Creek feeds from the Pearl River?”
“I think it’s a combination of the wind pushing the waters up from Lake Borgne, along with the river flow. Because of the new levee walls, water pushed back into the tributaries and flooded places that had never flooded before.”
Her breath caught in her lungs at the simplicity of his explanation and at how easily it had been missed.
“My goodness. This could change the entire project. Why are you just bringing this up?”
“Because the last time I brought it up it caused another city to lose its flood-protection system altogether. When I pointed out the problems with the levee breach design, the corps halted the project. It was pushed back by more than a year. In that time, there was a flood and several people lost their homes. I took a gamble that they couldn’t have another huge flood event so soon, and the community paid for it.”
“That’s why you were so adamant about the maps and making sure the people in Gauthier have the flood insurance they need.”
He nodded. “It’s also why I want to make sure we’ve looked at every possibility before this project moves to the next stage.”
“Even if it means that Clay comes out ahead of me,” Paxton said.
“I don’t want—”
She cut him off. “This is about Gauthier. My career is important to me, but there is nothing more important than seeing this project through.” She grabbed the keys to the rental car from his hand and pushed him aside so that she could get behind the wheel. “Come on,” she called. “We’ve got work to do.”
Their flight back to New Orleans was scheduled to leave in less than two hours. She drove directly to the airport, and, three and a half hours later, they landed at Louis Armstrong International.
Paxton turned her phone back on as soon as the plane’s tires hit the tarmac. She had a missed call from Belinda, a text message from Shayla with a picture of her new shelf filled with apple butter, and two missed calls from John.
She decided to ignore them all and instead talked strategy with Sawyer for the hour-long drive from the airport to Gauthier. It was after six by the time they arrived. They stopped over in Maplesville for Chinese takeout, which they brought to Sawyer’s house.
While he set up the dining room table so that they could work while eating, Paxton finally returned the missed calls and messages, calling Belinda first, then Shayla. She saved her boss for last, hoping that the call would go straight to his voice mail, but he answered on the second ring.
When she finally disconnected, she just stood there for a minute staring at the phone, her mind reeling.
“What’s up?” Sawyer asked. He walked over to her. “Pax?”
She looked up at him. “John wants to pull me off the project,” she said. “I have to leave Gauthier by Sunday morning.”
Chapter 11
Sawyer’s stomach plummeted.
He moved in closer to her, but she was still staring at the phone as if it held the answer to a riddle.
She finally looked up at him, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. “I can’t believe it, Sawyer! This is awesome.”
Awesome?
“The funding finally came through on a project I’ve been working on for nearly three years,” she said. “It stalled because of opposition it faced from several advocacy groups, but apparently they worked something out with the state and the project is back on.”
Sawyer swallowed deeply before asking, “What’s the project?”
“It’s a computer-operated hydraulic barrier system in South Carolina. It will be the first of its kind in the country. It’s based on a system that was developed by the Dutch, so the first few months will require me to work in the Netherlands.”
“So you’re going to the Netherlands?”
She nodded. “For two months. The team from Little Rock leaves next week.” The smile that broke out across her face was a mile wide. “Do you know what this means for my career? There are as many as a dozen states considering a flood-protection system like this one, from New Jersey to the California coast. If I can lead my team to success with the South Carolina project, I will put Bolt-Myer on the map. It can lead to hundreds of millions in contracts and a huge leap for me within the company.”
